Governor Youngkin Wants Cell Phone-Free Schools in Virginia

“This necessary action will promote a healthier and more purposeful learning environment where every child can learn. Creating cell phone- and social media-free learning environments in Virginia’s K-12 education system will benefit students, parents and teachers,” Youngkin said in a statement.

The move comes as states across the country increasingly seek to restrict cellphone use in schools. Last month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced his support for the restrictions after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy called for social media apps to carry tobacco-style warnings to inform users of their harmful effects on youth mental health.

Other states have taken similar steps. Indiana passed a law this year that requires school districts to adopt a policy banning wireless devices during classes, and last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed the most restrictive school smartphone law in the country, banning their use during classes and blocking access to social media on the campus internet.

The debate over smartphones in schools has raged for years. Teachers have long complained about students texting, scrolling and playing games during class, prompting some to implement their own classroom bans—requiring students to check in or put away their phones. Some schools and districts have also taken action using technology products like magnetic bags that can lock students’ devices for the day.

Last fall, a study by the nonprofit children’s organization Common Sense Media found that 97 percent of teens use their cellphones during the school day. Some researchers believe cellphones contribute to declining academic achievement and rising mental health issues among teens. The stakes are higher now as schools rush to catch up on learning lost during the pandemic.

Parents are divided on the issue, with some advocating for stricter restrictions, while others say decisions about cellphone use should be left up to parents, or express concerns about having to contact students in the event of an emergency or school closure.

Education was a key area of ​​interest for Youngkin, who ran for office with a message of “parents’ rights.” The rationale behind Virginia’s order is twofold: Limiting excessive screen time, the state says, will benefit students’ mental health and remove distractions from the classroom to make learning more effective.

“Creating a cell phone-free learning environment in public schools is not only a prudent move but also a necessary measure to promote a healthier and more purposeful learning environment where every child has the freedom to learn,” the order reads.

The order directs the Education Department to hold a listening session for parents and stakeholders on what approaches would work best for Virginia. The department will then issue guidance on best practices and policies that school districts can implement. The Education Department should have final guidance ready in September, so districts can begin adopting cellphone policies by Jan. 1. The guidance is not a hard-and-fast requirement.

Sen. Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (D-Henrico), a public school teacher, praised the approach, which allows the state to gather feedback on the problem and then issue guidance to districts to find solutions that work for them.

“This has all really come to a head, which is why I think you’re seeing bipartisan support to do something,” VanValkenburg said. “Because (smartphones) are a problem. They’re a problem in the classroom, and they need to be addressed.”

According to the Youngkin administration, one goal of the order is to streamline efforts by individual teachers, schools and districts to limit phone use by creating guidelines and best practices for the state.

Many Virginia school districts already have policies restricting phone use, and others are discussing how to better enforce or strengthen such policies. The Fairfax County School Board voted in May to have the superintendent develop a pilot program for storing cellphones during the school day in the state’s largest district. The superintendent is expected to present the pilot program to the school board this summer.

David Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, said in an interview that Fairfax schools vary in their level of enforcement of cellphone policies. He said statewide guidelines could be helpful in ensuring consistency across the district.

As a parent of a seventh-grader, Walrod said he understands the need for stricter restrictions. While phones can be a powerful learning tool when used correctly, he said, it’s very easy for the devices to become distractions.

“I think anything we can do to help our kids go in the direction we want them to go will be helpful,” Walrod said. “I don’t necessarily agree with Gov. Youngkin on a lot of things, but I’m not opposed to it.”

Last month, the Loudoun County School Board approved a policy restricting cellphone use during classes. The policy, which received hundreds of comments from parents, teachers and students, states that phones and earbuds must be silenced and out of reach during classes unless “exceptional circumstances exist and there is a documented accommodation.”

In Arlington County, a group of parents urged the school district to develop a countywide policy that would require students to keep their phones in their lockers during the day. In a letter to the superintendent, Arlington Parents for Education argued that the policy would be the best way to reduce the impact of cellphones.

“Now that we know the negative impact personal devices have on students’ well-being and their ability to learn and access curriculum, the sense of urgency is greater than ever before,” the group wrote in its letter.

Amy Rzepka, a mother of a high school student and a board member of Arlington Parents for Education, said in an interview that she can’t wait to see what guidance the state gives and what the school district develops. She’s an advocate for limiting phone use throughout the school day, not just during classroom instruction.

“Given the proven negative impact that phones have on students’ mental health and academic performance, I think it’s very encouraging that Virginia is taking action on this at a statewide level,” she said.